Wanted: A Hero
by Machlassie
Summary: After going through a near-death experience, a young lady who once held a passion for dancing, loses her motivation in life as she goes through her day's daily routines listlessly. The only passion left in her is reserved for her "handsome hero in tights." But can this hero reignite the light and return the spark back to his admirer? Based off Slim Bob's ending.
1. Chapter 1

**Wanted: A Hero**

**A/N: This is a Slim Bob and OC coupling…sort of. After watching Slim Bob's ending, I couldn't resist pairing him with the damsel he saved from the train, what with him receiving that sweet kiss to the cheek, I thought they looked so cute together. So I did rename (or gave) her Evie. Anyways, I hope you have fun reading this as much as I had fun writing it. If the world doesn't end on Friday, this story should hopefully be finished by Christmas. Thanks again for reading!**

If only she could see him again…Since he saved her on that fateful fall day, the image of her "handsome hero" remained imbedded in her mind. His dazzling blue eyes, curly, platinum blonde hair, and that slim, narrow body he owned…All his features haunted her day in and day out.

At night, he ran through her dreams, saving her from not only trains, but criminals and thieves alike. Then during the daytime, she would see him reflected in a shop window or catch him passing by in the corner of her eye. But whenever she chanced a glance, it was always just another man, mannequin, or lamppost. Another one of the games her mind had been enjoying playing with her.

Now it was nearing the holidays and just like the past months, Evie found herself staring blankly out her studio apartment at the drab city streets below. It had been a beautiful snowfall that took place last week, a decent four inches, but now all of the snow had turned to slush, becoming dirtied and muddied by the gas guzzling cars that occupied the roads. No longer were there children frolicking about in their "Winter Wonderland" or couples skating merrily on the iced-over streets. Nope, everyone had gone back to being their plain Jane selves, going on with their lives listlessly. That was the problem with this city. It was so bland, so…lacking. It needed a spark, something to spice things up and motivate the civilians.

"Like a hero…" The blonde whispered to herself.

As her mind filled with images of her hero, the phone she had set in her lap began to ring, startling her back to reality. Reading the name of the caller, she let out a breath of air before answering. "Uh…Hello?"

"Hey, Eve," her friend answered cheerfully from the other end. "What's up? Are you fantasizing about your knight in shining armor again?"

"How'd you guess," Evie replied with a gentle smile on her lips. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah," Tiffany replied. "You, me, and a whole day of holiday shopping! How about it?"

At this, Evie frowned, glad that her friend wasn't able to see. "W-what? But…" She hated to lie and an excuse just couldn't find its way into her head at the moment. She didn't hate spending time with her friend, but she didn't feel like leaving her apartment for the time being.

There had been a few seconds of silence between them until Tiffany said solemnly, "Look, Eve, you've been acting so weird since your accident, I just thought that maybe you should get some fresh air, clear your mind and everything, y'know? But if you don't want to…"

She was tugging at her guilt strings now. Just like Tiffany. Evie gave a gentle smile as she replied back, "No, you're right. A little fresh air wouldn't hurt."

"Great!" Was the reply emanating from her phone, "Then how 'bout we meet up around lunchtime?"

"Sounds like a deal."

It was near lunchtime and the diner was becoming filled as students, businessmen, and every other worker piled in. Bob, sitting at his usual spot by the window, kept his face buried in his menu as people walked back and forth past him. He was never one for big crowds considering what his "occupation" was and would prefer to be seen as the average Joe, easily forgotten the minute he was seen. However, he was finding that blending in was not so easy since his major weight loss.

Every time a young lady, or sometimes even an elderly woman, caught a glimpse of him, he would receive a wink, flirtatious "finger-wave", puckered lips, or a combination of the three. Of course he would always look away, pretending that he never noticed, and briskly walk away. It was never like this when he was over three-hundred pounds.

Hence the reason why, since his weight loss, he has been eating here. He had eaten at countless food courts and fast food joints, but this one he found seemed to serve the oiliest, fattiest, heart attack-provoking foods known to man. Hell, he was sure the whole building was coated in grease as he had, on a few accounts, slipped on the flooring due to some unknown wax. Yet, no matter how much he stuffed in, he always seemed to remain this thin, finely chiseled man. He looked at the image of himself reflected off the window and thought, _Make that thin, finely chiseled, and weak…_

He groaned aloud and slapped his forehead onto the table. Why was he, of all people, blessed with such a curse called fast metabolism? Raising his head back up, he rested his chin on his fist and lazily peered out the glass at the streets outside. There wasn't much to take in aside from cars and two young ladies across the street, both of whom he decided to study as he awaited his order.

Both possessed slender, model worthy bodies and could easily be mistaken as sisters if not for the difference in their hair coloring. One was a brunette while the other a blonde. The blonde one, he couldn't help but feel as if he knew her from somewhere. Just as she was turning to face the diner, a taxi drove by and blocked his view. By the time it had moved, the two had vanished around the corner. He shrugged. It didn't matter now because his tray of burgers and fries had arrived.

Evie was so sure she saw him in the corner of her eye, but just as she turned to see, the yellow cab decided to drive by, obscuring her vision, and her friend had decided, at that very second, to yank her to a store just down the street. Although desperate to find out if that was really him sitting in the diner, she forced herself to believe that it was just another mind game her brain was playing and continued following her friend.

"This is it," Tiffany called over her shoulder, releasing Evie's wrist.

Rubbing the wrist which was now growing red, Evie looked up at the store that she was taken to. It was a moderately small, albeit, vintage outlet, and by the looks of it, very well-kept. However, despite it being a very nice looking store, Evie knew the real reason as to why her friend had dragged her here. The answer lay in the window display.

Wrapped on the mannequin before them was the most lovely, virgin-white ballet dress both Tiffany and Evie had ever laid their eyes on. So dazzling and stunning it was it was easy for passersby to become envious of a mere mannequin. Tiffany looked at Evie from the corner of her eye and upon seeing the awe in her hazel eyes, smirked. "So…What do you think?"

In spite of how beautiful it was, Evie shook her head at the idea of her owning such a thing. "It's beautiful, but…" She shifted her eyes to the floor, causing the brunette to frown.

Quickly hoping to make amends before things would start to get worse, Tiffany gripped the blonde's hand and began dragging her away from the store. "Y'know what? There's another store around here that's really cute too. Let's go check it out."

Before she could take her far, she felt a resistant on the other end. Tiffany stopped and looked back at her friend who had a weak smile on her lips. They stared at one another for a long time before Evie finally broke the tension between them. "I know what you're trying to do and I really appreciate it, Tiff', but you don't have to worry about me." Her smile grew as she wrapped her fingers around Tiffany's hand. "So I lost my ability to dance, but I'm alive aren't I? And not only that, I also met my handsome hero in tights." She added that last statement with a wink.

Tiffany wasn't convinced but found that it wouldn't help matters any if she persisted with their current topic. She instead decided to let it go and whispered, "You're right."

"Good. Now, let's go check out that store you mentioned." Evie said joyfully.

As the day wound down and dinner time was just around the corner, the two women went their separate ways, both of them leaving each other's company with armfuls of shopping bags. Evie hadn't planned on spending much during this shopping excursion, but she should've known that when you spend any time with Tiffany, leaving a store empty-handed was highly unlikely.

"Speed and weight!" The sounds of nearby kids were heard as Evie maneuvered her way through the neighborhoods. She wasn't a fan of the configuration of her apartment area what with all the turns and alleys, she was frequently getting lost. Yet the positioning had been convenient as it was only a walk away from the subways which she had used for her daily transportation from home to work. Yet, now left without a job, she now wondered if she should consider finding a new place, one that she could find more welcoming.

Lost in her thoughts, she had somehow made her way to the location of the children's play area between two rundown apartment buildings and stopped in her tracks at the sight that laid itself out before her. She must not have noticed it during her pondering, but at some point, the children's laughter had silenced and the reason stood before her.

He was a common street thug, a stereotypical bully. He was holding two of the four boys up by their collars, leaving the other two younger ones on the ground crying. So appalled was she by the sight, the blonde dropped all of her bags, the sound of the dropping paraphernalia gathering the attention of the boys.

"What's going on here?" Usually, sweet-natured and tame, Evie's voice came out and directed itself at the thug.

Giving the slender woman a look over, the hooligan cocked an eyebrow and dropped the two boys onto their rears. "Say something, princess?" He began his advance towards her, a dirty look playing across his face.

Despite his approaching steps and the slimming distance between them, Evie remained where she stood, her eyes showing no signs of fear. When he was only an arm's length away, he made a grab for the front of her shirt, but quickly found himself grasping only a handful of air. Surprised that the young lady had managed to evade him without even seeming to move, he wasn't prepared for the pain that would soon reach his nether regions as Evie delivered to him a kick from one of her well-toned legs.

Sinking to his knees, he watched as the blonde hovered over him, her slim figure overshadowing him. "You should leave while you still have an ounce of dignity," he heard her lecture to him. "And for your own sake, don't come back."

She turned back to her fallen bags and went to go gather them but stopped as she heard a series of footsteps follow after her. Turning around she found the four boys running by her and, following them with her eyes, she watched as they bent to the floor to pick up her shopping. "What's this," she asked as a smile grew on her face.

"Hmph." The child who appeared to be the oldest looked away, probably to hide the blush growing on his cheeks, and mumbled, "You may think we're kids, but we know when to be grateful. So…thanks lady. Just don't tell anyone else about this."

"Of course." Evie giggled to herself. "I'll tell everyone that you were the little heroes that saved little ol' me."

The youngest child ran up to her and while bouncing up and down said, "That was so cool! It was almost like watching Mr. Red!"

"Mr. Red?" Evie repeated.

"Yeah," one of the older boys replied. "Some superhero that comes by once in a while to check up on us. Kinda' a loser if you ask me."

A superhero who wears red? Suddenly Evie's heart began to beat rapidly as her own hero came to mind. It couldn't be coincidence. But she needed confirmation. "Um…this superhero of yours, he wouldn't happen to wear pants that are just a little too big for him, would he?"

All four boys nodded in unison which was all the evidence Evie needed. Quickly she bent down and gathered all the children around her. "Listen up boys. Care to tell me all you know about him?"

They switched glances between one another, probably thinking to each other how loony this woman was, but nonetheless began telling her of the hero in red and overly huge pants.

Bob, who had spent the day as the town glutton, walked miserably down the dimly lit streets as he felt his stomach. Despite all the food he devoured today, a gut had yet to form. What was wrong with him?

As he headed back to his apartment, he walked by a little chic shop where a ballerina outfit was displayed and a brunette who was staring holes through it. Looking back over his shoulder at her, he realized it was one of the girls he had seen from the diner earlier that day. By the looks of it, her blonde friend had probably gone home while she decided to continue her shopping spree late into the night. _Girls…_ Bob thought. He could never understand them.

Just as he was prepared to cross the street and gesture for a cab, a group of men decided to make an appearance and approach the young lady.

"Hey little lady," one called, breaking the silence of the night, "What are you doing out here by yourself?"

Tiffany, alerted back to the real world, turned to look at them and narrowed her eyes. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of being granted a visit by such ugly men? I thought I had been a good girl this year, Santa."

"Cute." Another man scoffed.

The three men took their spots around her, surrounding her and trapping her against the glass window. One reached for one of the bags in her arms, but before he could grab ahold of it, he was suddenly yanked back by the collar of his shirt and launched into the lamppost behind him. With the open space provided and the other two men distracted by what happened to their partner in crime, Tiffany silently crept away to watch the fight break out from a distance.

After throwing the man into the lamppost, Bob turned his attention to the other men who were currently gazing at him as if he were the biggest joke.

"What the heck are you?" One of them questioned, completely unconcerned of his fellow friend who lay out cold on the concrete floor.

Bob, while attempting to keep his pants up and around his waist, let out a groan. "C'mon guys. Can't you at least pretend to be threatened?"

With fists out, one of the thugs made a lunge for Bob's face. "I'm gonna' rip that mask off your face to see what kind of joke lies under that stupid mask of yours!"

Bob side-stepped the oncoming blow then delivered a gut punch of his own, causing the man to crumple to the floor. Then, using the fallen man as a step stool, the hero in red launched a flying, full-powered kick into the other man's chest, all the while holding his pants up.

As he finished dealing with the men, Tiffany had silently watched from the shadows, not believing her eyes. This man was the hero Evie had been fantasizing about since her accident. There was no mistaking it. The slim body, red outfit, and overgrown pants…He fit the description to a solid T. "So…you're the one who saved Evie that day," she spoke up, stepping out from her hiding spot.

"Uh, Evie," Bob questioned, turning away from her in an attempt to hide his face despite the fact that it was hidden beneath his mask.

"Yeah," Tiffany spoke. "It was about five or six months ago when you saved her from getting completely decimated by the subway train. Do you remember or have you saved so many lives it has become blended in with the others?"

So that was why she was familiar to him. He almost couldn't believe he hadn't recognized her earlier, what with the sweet kiss she had planted on him that day. "Well, saving lives is part of my duty," he replied, returning to the conversation. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

Just as he was prepared to sprint off, the brunette's husky, strong voice froze him in his tracks. "Hold it! I'm not finished talking to you!" Bob listened to her approaching footsteps which stopped just behind him. In a gentler tone, Tiffany continued speaking. "Although you saved her life that day, she suffered torn tendons and a broken ankle in her left leg and because of it, she really hasn't been herself. You see, she was a renowned ballet dancer, dancing in national theaters all over the world but due to her injury, she was forced to quit. Or…so she says. But I know better."

Bob's shoulders sagged as he released a sigh. Why the heck is she telling him this?

Although she saw and heard him sighing, Tiffany, keeping her anger in check, continued with her story. "She's still that amazing dancer she always has been. She just gave up and became this lifeless hermit living this monotonous routine of eating, sleeping, and bathing. But," she shifted her eyes to the back of Bob's head, "whenever she talks about you, she comes back to life. Which is why I need you to do me one more favor: Bring the passion back into Evie's life. If anyone could do it, it's you."

At her proposition, Bob coughed. "S-sorry! But I only specialize in beating up bad guys. Now if I could just…" Before he knew it, the mask that had once been donned on his head had slipped off causing him to gasp and hid his face behind his hands.

"Oh really?" Tiffany spoke, examining the mask which now lay in her possession. "Then I guess you wouldn't mind then if I just tell everyone who their hero is, would you?"

"You wouldn't!"

"Is that what you think? Don't forget that all I have to do is just take two steps and I'll be right in front of you."

Bob listened to her feet as they began to move and gasped. "Okay, okay! I'll help her!"

There was a soft giggle as the mask was deposited back onto his head. "I knew I could count on you," Tiffany whispered into his ear, "my hero…"

Bob turned around after adjusting his mask so that he could see out of the eye slots, only to find that he was standing alone on a deserted street. He scratched his head in confusion as he questioned aloud, "How am I supposed to find her?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

That night, Evie returned to her apartment with a big grin plastered on her face. After having spent her afternoon with the boys, she had learned much about her hero including the fact that he paid daily visits to those children. Knowing that, she came up with a plan to repay him.

With Christmas around the corner, she decided to make him a gift which would be delivered to him by her Christmas "elves."

"_I don't like the idea of being an elf," _Evie recalled one of the boys saying.

"_Don't be such a spoil sport," _she had told him. _"It'll be fun."_ Although doubtful, the boys had agreed to go along with her plan after, however, being promised the box of fancy chocolates in one of her bags. In all honesty, she didn't even recall purchasing them anyway.

She uncovered her sewing machine which, for the past few months had done nothing but collect dust, and retrieved from one of her shopping bags, lovely red fabric which she absolutely couldn't resist buying. As she held the fabric out before her, she imagined the perfect outfit for her hero.

"It'll be perfect," she whispered to herself as she went to work cutting the cloth. It was near bedtime as she started her project, but for Evie, the night was still young and laboriously, she worked her way well into the hours past midnight.

After his strange encounter with Tiffany last night, Bob decided to pay a visit to the boys to avoid meeting up with any more strange girls. And, he added, since it had been more than a week since he last met up with them, he was sure they had gotten into some sort of mischief.

As his alter-ego, he made his way across the rooftops of the city, keeping out of sight from the civilians. He dropped into the alley the children preferred as their play area and listened as their voices, which were currently making exploding noises, neared him.

As they came around the corner, they spotted the red hero and almost immediately, they broke out in laughter. Bob, although accustomed to being laughed at by them, found that it was a little early to be mocked. He hadn't even had time to greet them yet. "Geez…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head, "That was quick."

With their fingers pointed at him, the boys laughed and said, "So how are you and your girlfriend doing?"

"G-girlfriend?!" Bob let out. "What the heck are you guys talking about?" Although he had many admirers, he was positive he had never met anyone he could ever place under the term "girlfriend."

"Don't pretend," the boys continued their assault on him. "We know all about her."

"I'm actually surprised someone like her actually likes a guy like you," another added to the conversation.

"And how come you teach _her_ your fighting moves, but not us?"

With each statement they spoke, they got closer and closer to the masked man until his back was pressed firmly against the brick wall. "H-hold on," he faltered. His attempt to speak to them proved futile as Bob wasn't allowed a single moment to speak his two cents on the matter.

Through all of their interrogating and teasing, the gentle footsteps of heels crunching against leftover snow went unnoticed by the group of boys and before long, another person had made their presence.

Evie, who had planned on heading to the craft store to pick up some items, stopped in her tracks as she spotted the boys surrounding her masked man. "What's going on here?" She questioned gently.

All the men turned their attention to her and simultaneously, the boys' faces grew wide, big grins while Bob's jaw dropped as he gawked. "It's her!" The boys yelled. "Your girlfriend!"

It took Bob only one glance for him to recognize this young lady. And, recalling the promise he made last night, now was probably the worst time for them to meet.

With his blue eyes piercing through her, it was now Evie's turn to gasp and blush. Unable to return his gaze, she turned away and tried to think of the appropriate words to speak at the time. But her mind went blank as what could she possibly say? That she has been admiring him like some weirdo since he saved her? That she was so obsessed with him that day in and day out she dreamed of him?

Clenching her fist, she shook such thoughts away. It didn't matter what she had to tell him, but rather that she had to do it. Gathering her confidence, she looked back up at him only to catch a glimpse of his red disappear behind the corner. "W-what?" She gasped.

The boys, who too had just noticed Bob's quick escape, made way for the blonde as she began her chase. "Wait!" She called after him down the alley. Despite her calls, he continued running until he vanished behind another turn. This time, when she caught up to where she had last seen him, he was nowhere in sight. Leaning back against the wall behind her, Evie allowed herself time to gather her breath, disappointed that he had gotten away.

Meanwhile, Bob, who had managed to make a quick escape up onto one of the roofs, looked down at her from above. He was a man of his word; always keeping his promises, but this promise, he wasn't sure he knew how to fulfill. What was he supposed to tell her that could possibly bring the spark back to her life? He didn't even know the woman! Releasing a sigh, he crept back away from the edge to think things over.

"So…?" Tiffany's voice startled Evie back into reality as she had been reminiscing about the morning's events. The brunette looked over her friend's face and released a breath. Judging by the look she had, it was clear she wasn't paying attention. Again.

"Sorry I was…"

"Daydreaming about your 'handsome hero in tights,' I know." Tiffany completed the statement for her. She passed the ballerina a smirk and continued. "Speaking of which, has he made an appearance yet?"

"How did you know," she replied.

"Oh, y'know, lucky guess. So did he tell you anything?"

"Actually, no," Evie said, looking deeply into her hot chocolate. "In fact," she added with a chuckle, "he ran off before I could say anything."

Tiffany felt her eyes furrow in frustration. Before she could rant to herself, Evie's voice interrupted her. "But you should've seen him." A great smile crossed Evie's lovely face. "He was having so much fun with the neighborhood boys. I almost felt bad for interrupting."

Upon seeing that smile on her face, Tiffany's anger quickly diminished. It was nice to see her appear so motivated and alive again.

Turning her attention to the clock hanging on the café wall, Evie decided that it was time to bid farewell. "So soon?" Her friend questioned.

She nodded. "Yeah. Since yesterday I've been working on a gift for you-know-who and I'm hoping to finish it today. If you'd like, you can come over and tell me what you think."

"Thanks," Tiffany responded, "but I'll pass. I mean who knows? What if your hero decides to drop by? I wouldn't want to ruin your romantic evening with him." She added the last part with a wink.

After running off on Evie, Bob, although filled with guilt, couldn't bring himself to go find her and apologize. Perhaps if she had been "normal" he would have, but she was far from it. The girl was supposedly in love with him despite meeting only once. Once! She admired him from afar according to her friend and now the boys are referring to her as his "girlfriend." What in the world did she tell them to make them think that?

Although, now that he thought about it, it wasn't entirely embarrassing if she of all people happened to be his sweetheart. She seemed kind, what with the special way she rewarded him, she was a great dancer, according to her friend, and heck, she was pretty cute. Maybe they could live that superhero lifestyle; live a normal life together, appearing as a perfectly normal couple, but when danger strikes, Bob mysteriously vanishes… He thought about what that would be like but found that it would probably be more romantic if she didn't know who he was.

Now that he was the one fantasizing about her, Bob, dressed in his civilian clothes, slowly found himself heading in the direction of the alleyway where he had last encountered her. It had been hours since they parted and by now, the temperature had dropped and the sky was now only shades of grey speckled with tiny stars from galaxies beyond. He let out a sigh. Although Christmas was only days away, it seemed that the only snow that would be making its appearance would be the one leftover from a week ago. The boys would be disappointed to hear that news.

As he neared the alley where the boys played, he began to hear sobbing. Quickly, his superhero instincts kicked in and he picked up speed, racing to the scene. The four boys who had come to befriend stood in their usual play area, but from what Bob could see, one, the oldest, was suffering a bloody nose, while the two younger ones were crying their eyes out. At first, he would've believed it was just a misunderstanding breaking out among them, what with no other culprit in sight, but as soon as they spotted him, they made a run towards him.

"Mister," they called out through sobs, "You gotta' help her!"

Bob raised an eyebrow. Her? Were they talking about Evie? Bending down to their level, he placed a hand on one of their heads, hoping to calm them down, and asked solemnly, "What happened?"

As calmly as they could, the boys described the horrific event of Evie getting kidnapped by three men. From what the oldest one said, one of the thugs who was involved was the same one Evie had dropped yesterday. With all this knowledge, Bob gave a nod and rose to his full height, prepared to go hunt them down.

"Wait, where are you going," the boys called after him. "You can't take these guys on!"

"What're you talking about," Bob said, looking over his shoulder. "You guys should know that I can take down anyone!" After passing them a smile, he ran off, causing all the boys to forget about the recent events as they passed each other confused glances.

"Was that…?"

"I think so…"

"Let me go!" Evie yelled, tugging her arm back from her kidnapper. This was the last situation she expected to find herself in when all she wanted was to simply drop off her completed gift to the boys. But no, life has it in store for her and they insisted that the moment she arrives, thugs decide to come and harass the lads. So, she did what any sensible (or insensible) adult would do and that was use herself as the scapegoat. Now, due to her recklessness, she was being dragged down the streets, away from any source of help.

With her arm free from one man, another man that was holding up the rear took ahold of her silky blonde hair, yanking until the roots were at its peak. She let out a yelp, stopping herself from struggling any further.

"You were so tough yesterday." The man said mockingly into her ear. "What happened?"

She made an attempt to elbow him in the gut, but unlike her legs, her arms lacked muscle and failed to make him budge. Her attempt, however, didn't go unnoticed and in return for the tap she gave him, the thug threw her into a nearby lamppost, the back of her head colliding with the metal pole.

With her head pounding, Evie slumped to the floor as her kidnappers surrounded her. "Poor little princess." She heard them continue to mock her, but she let her ears block them out. After her hard day's work she pulled off today, she was exhausted and she couldn't find it in herself to fight back. However, when another voice reached her ears, she realized that there really wasn't a need to put up a struggle.

"Step away from her!" Bob called out to the trio.

The hooligans looked over at the new arrival and raised an eyebrow at the scrawny, albeit handsome, man before them. Once they gave him enough studying, they broke out in laughter. The man who had thrown Evie into the pole looked down at her and said with tears in his eyes, "Looks like your boyfriend came to save you."

Bob, who had grown accustomed to people laughing at him, was surprised that these set of insults didn't arise from his mask which, as he reached up to touch, wasn't on his face… A sudden panic attack struck as he couldn't decide what to do next. Clearly he couldn't turn back and slip it on, expecting that when he returns, they wouldn't recognize him. He let out a hopeless sigh after deciding that he had to fight these goons as a civilian. Well, at least he could finish them off quickly.

As they were still occupied with trying to calm their laughter, Bob took the opportunity to grip one of the men by their shoulders and using all his strength, he swung him around in a circle before launching him back towards the other two. Suddenly the laughter had subsided as the fight now took on a serious note.

"So you wanna' play hero, eh?" One of them said after pushing his friend's body off of him and rising to his feet. "Then let's play!" Grabbing a switchblade he had hidden in his hoodie, he rushed towards the blonde, carelessly swinging like a maniac.

With grace, Bob dodged the senseless strikes until the opening he wanted was granted. With the man's ribs exposed, Bob ducked under the next attack before landing a punch to his opponent's gut. As he bent over, he felt Bob grip the back of his head and the band of his pants before he was hauled into a nearby dumpster.

"Dude!" His other two friends ran to check up on him, but found that it was a horrible mistake to turn their backs on the unmasked superhero. Before they had time to comprehend what was happening, Bob had gripped both of their heads and sent them smashing together, rendering them unconscious. Casually, he stuffed both of them in the open dumpster with their friend and shut the lid. Hopefully they would wake up before the garbage trucks come by.

Now that it was just the two of them, Bob turned his attention to Evie, who, aside from a possible bump on her head, seemed to be fine. However, you could never be too sure. He bent down in front of her and asked, "Are you alright?"

Evie, who although was more than happy to see her hero, found herself at a loss of words and could only give him a weak nod in return.

With a smile on his face, he turned around and presented his back to her. "Here," he told her, "I'll take you back home."

Unsure at first, Evie faltered, but in time her arms were up on his shoulders as he took her into a piggyback position. To be this close to him again, it was like a dream come true… She rested her head on the nape of his neck as he walked back toward her neighborhood, all the while the two of them keeping a comfortable silence between them.

It wasn't until they reached the children's play area, which was now deserted, did Bob decide to speak. "So I heard that you're a really great dancer. That true?"

Surprised that he would speak to her about something so personal, Evie let out a little gasp, but nodded. "Yeah… Not anymore though…" She slumped her head back to his shoulder as she recalled the days when she sat home alone, her crutches being the only way she could carry herself.

"Because of your injury?" He questioned gently.

Evie raised an eyebrow. "How did you…?" Suddenly, the image of her friend appeared in her mind, answering her question for her. "Tiffany…" It was no wonder she mentioned him so many times today.

"You shouldn't let that get you down," Bob continued. "So you might not be the best dancer in the whole entire universe anymore, but rumor has it, when you were up on that stage, you were happy." He passed a smile over his shoulder. "I'd like to see that side of you."

Evie's cheeks burned with her blood and she was glad that, unless he had eyes in the back of his head, her hero was oblivious to the affect his smile had on her. While fiddling with the drawstrings on his jacket, she whispered, "I'll think about it."

Relief washed over the hero as his promise was fulfilled. Hopefully now, he wouldn't have that hotheaded brunette hunting him down. "Good to hear. Now, care to tell me where your house is?"

"Oh right! I think we turn down this lane," Evie replied, pointing to her right.

"You think?" Bob couldn't help but tease.

Together, they maneuvered their way back to her little apartment, each of them so caught up in teasing and laughing at one another, they didn't notice the snow that had begun to descend down from the heavens.

Once at her doorstep, Bob placed her down as she dug for her keys. When they were in her possession, Bob placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "I'm going to go now."

"What? But-!" Before Evie had time to give an argument for him to stay, she was silenced with a sweet kiss to the lips. Although hardly passionate and barely lasting any more than a few seconds, it was the best kiss Evie had ever received.

"Don't give up, Evie," Bob told her before he departed. Evie could have simply gone after him and dragged him back, but so stunned was she with the kiss, she remained where she stood, touching the lips that had just seconds ago been warmed by his. Looking up at the sky, she caught sight of the mistletoe that hung overhead and smiled.

Bob tried to remain as cool and composed as possible until at last, when he was positive he was out of sight, he let out a breath that he didn't even realize he was holding in and grinned goofily. He couldn't believe it. He had just kissed the most beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes on. He felt like a teenager all over again.

As he leaned against the wall, recalling their brief kiss, he noticed a wrapped package lying on the floor before him. Curiosity got the better of him and cautiously, as if it was containing a bomb, he approached it and picked it up. It was well-wrapped and weighed a little more on the less side. Definitely nothing that can contain anything explosive. Since the night was still young and he in a good mood, Bob decided to deliver the present back to whoever dropped it. Surely they couldn't have gone too far.

As he was prepared to go hunt down the possible butterfingered civilian, he took note of the gift tag dangling from the box and read the name of the recipient. _The Handsome Hero. _Stopping in his tracks, he retreated back into the alleyway, away from stray eyes and, after looking back and forth, gently tore the gift open. Sure "Handsome Hero" could be a pet name for someone's lover, but Bob was sure this gift was for him.

Once he peeled away the wrapping, he slowly opened the lid of the box to find, staring back up at him, a new superhero outfit. Holding the new outfit before him, he realized that it would be a nearly, if not perfect fit for him. "Thanks, Evie," he whispered into the chilly, crisp, winter air.

**One year later…**

The show ended on a perfect note and after greeting all VIPS, Evie made a dash for the exit, hoping that she would reach it before—

"Oh my gosh! It's her! Miss Evie!" As soon as Evie had pushed open the doors leading out to the parking lot, a barrage of fans, each appropriately dressed to watch the ballet, dashed towards her. They held out pens, papers, notebooks, and posters, hoping that she would grant them an autograph. Despite her plans, the ballerina couldn't deny her fans so dropped all her bags and held out her hands.

"Who's first?" She asked.

For the first time in what felt like years, Bob finally felt like himself as he stood in a familiar alleyway playing with four equally familiar children…weighing well over 250 pounds. It had taken him nearly all year to achieve this perfect body and it was well worth it minus one thing.

Since his weight gain, Evie had failed to recognize him. They had passed by one another on more than one occasion, but she each time she failed to grant him a second glance. During their third encounter, he was tempted to speak to her, but stopped himself as he realized that she no longer needed her hero. She was back on her own two feet.

As one of the younger boys launched himself into his belly, breaking out in laughter afterwards, the gentle sounds of snow crunching beneath someone's shoes entered Bob's hearing. He turned toward the entrance of the alley and was surprised to find the Swan Princess herself standing before them.

Still dressed in her performance outfit, Evie stared at the sight before her, dumbfounded. Before her were the four little boys, once her neighbors, and a husky-sized man. He didn't seem to be hurting the children in any way, the opposite rather, but his presence sure did make things awkward. Fortunately, before an awkward silence could develop, the young children ran at her, each of them possessing great big smiles on their faces. "It's you!" "You're back!" They called over one another.

Bending down to their height, she opened her arms as the lads swarmed in. "I missed you guys," she murmured.

When she had slipped on her ballet shoes, she was forced to move to the fancier part of town where the national theater was within access. She had delayed moving as long as possible to bid farewell to her hero, but he never showed up. In fact, since their kiss, he just seemed to vanish into thin air. However, whenever the opportunity presented itself, she would be here, not only to see the children, but to wait for him.

When they separated from their embrace, Evie looked back over at the bigger man who was watching them with a gentle smile on his face. "I apologize for interrupting your play date," she said to him.

"It's not a problem, ma'am," Bob responded in his deep voice. At the sound of his voice, Evie flinched. It sounded so familiar, but… She turned her attention to his face and stared long and hard at it. No, it couldn't be. "I do find it hard to believe though," Bob continued to speak, "that a ballerina of your status is seen walking these parts."

Evie stuttered. "You know me?"

"Big fan of yours," he stated, holding out his hand. "Bob."

Reaching out her own hand, she gripped his and granted him with a smile. "Evie, but I guess you already know that." As they gazed at one another, the children went digging through her bags she had carelessly dropped during their embrace, and found loads of chocolates with five beautifully wrapped packages.

"Oh yes," Evie said, turning to them, "I almost forgot. Those are for you guys. Except for this one." She lifted one of the presents out of the bag and gingerly presented it to them. "This is for you-know-who when he comes by."

As the oldest child took it from her, the boys switched their glances between one another before the youngest one reached into his hoodie and pulled out a small present of his own.

"What's this," Evie asked as he dropped it into her hand.

"Mr. Hero left it here for you."

Studying the little package, Evie felt her body warm as she held it to her chest. "Thank you…" She whispered. Bob, who had watched the exchange, gave a small grin as he felt his own heart beat rapidly at seeing the happiness on her face. It was no wonder Tiffany had wanted to bring the spark back to her life. Evie's smile was definitely beautiful.

Just as she was prepared to leave and head back home, Bob called out to her. "Hey, Evie," he said.

She stopped and looked back over at him.

"I know you have this secret admirer and all, but would you care to join me for a cup of coffee sometime?"

Studying the husky man, Evie smiled. "Coffee sounds great." With that said, she proceeded to exit the alley, Bob's gift still pressed to her heart.

"Just keep waiting, Evie," Bob whispered to himself as she disappeared behind the corner. He touched his belly which, although was near the level of obesity, had since shrunk from a week ago. Bob sighed. "He'll be back alright…"

**The End**

**A/N: Super long chapter, I know. I was tempted to split it into two, but then one of them would be super short and wouldn't flow as nicely. I know I had promised to work on Christmas Fuss, but I was so tired of writing about Anna and Sergei, I needed a new story. And although probably only ten people have read this, I couldn't bring myself not to finish it. I was having too much fun writing it. Well, as usual, I hope you enjoyed reading and I'd like to know what you think.**

**Late Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!**


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